It's been said that dreams are the seedlings to reality. Victoria Jennings Mitchell has followed her dreams and they are as real as the sky is blue. She is a mother, photographer, writer, musical agent, spiritual healer and all around great person!
Her first book "Rock Stars of the 80's and 90's" has just been published and it is getting rave reviews from all over the world. Her brilliant photographs capture the essence of the great rock stars whom she has crossed paths with. I had the great pleasure to speak with Victoria late one evening as her day was finally winding down...
MICK: Your new book is fantastic. When did you decide to write this book? It's your first book too, right?
VICTORIA: Yes, it's my first book. I decided to do this book about 20 years ago when I took all of those photographs. I knew someday I would write this book.
MICK: I saw in your book that it all began for you when you photographed rock star Jon Butcher.
VICTORIA: I had seen Jon play many times. When I started photography school, the first thing I wanted to do was take his pictures. I contacted him and he readily agreed to let me pictures. I took photos of him several times when he did shows up in Providence, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. After that, I photographed Stevie Ray Vaughn.
MICK: That's what I wanted to ask you about next. You got some great shots with him. What was he like?
VICTORIA: Stevie was awesome. I miss him. I cried for a week when he died. I had talked to his publicist, Charles Comer, many times and he was such a nice man. He arranger for me to shoot Stevie in Gardner, Massachusetts at an outdoor venue there. I was able to spend about an hour with Stevie. He told everything that was going on. I really commend him. He was truly on a good road and he was so talented, a really nice guy. Right before he died, I was suppose to photograph him the following week. Also, something very strange happened at the show where I photographed him. It was an outdoor venue and backstage, one of the supporting metal beams crashed down and snapped the neck right off of his guitar. It was the famous guitar that he used all the time. I was back there taking pictures and I saw this happen. I wondered if this was some type of weird omen or something. He got it fixed before the following show. But that was really strange. A year later, he died.
MICK: In your book, there's also a picture of you with Merv Griffin.
VICTORIA: Yes, he owned the radio station that I worked at in Providence. He was cool. A very smart man for sure. He had just bought the radio station and I approached him with my portfolio and told him I'd love to be the station's photographer. He was so impressed that they hired me right on the spot. I stayed with them for almost four years. Had a lot of fun and worked very hard too!
MICK: One thing that stands out in front of your book, in the dedication, you state that a portion of the proceeds was going to go to the victims and the families of the tragic fire that killed 100 people at The Station Night Club, in Providence. Did you know people who were there that night?
VICTORIA: Yes, one of my friends from the radio station, Dr. Metal, died in the fire. It was terrible. I found, within the last year, that the victims and their families ended up getting millions of dollars. They filed a law suit and they won. There was also a lot of benefits. I was unable to come up to help out because of family obligations down here.
MICK: I know you are also writing a children's book.
VICTORIA: That's right. It's being published right now. The publisher brought it to the Beijing Book Expo and it was purchased, along with other children's books from Eloquent Books in NY, to sell the books in Chinese. I still retain the rights to my book here but that's just for the rights in China. I heard that it sold and they are making us wait so I'm very excited. We should know very soon!
MICK: For the children's book, are you using photographs or illustrations?
VICTORIA: I'm using illustrations. I have several illustrators. I used my daughter Ariel as the model for my old friends book when she was 5 years old. I'm having another illustrator do my next book and my mom, who is also an artist, will do my third book.
MICK: I've read that you home school your children?
VICTORIA: Yes I do! Actually, we are unschoolers. Home schooling is when you sit down and do school at home. We don't do that. We don't use a set curriculum, we use everything for their learning...classes, CD Roms, computers, life in general. It's geared towards what they want to learn and are interested in. It's continuing learning; learning from the inside out, not the outside in.
MICK: So that is recognized by the state?
VICTORIA: It sure is. There are unschoolers all over the world. I wanted to do this even before I had children. It is basically non-forced learning.
MICK: Do you still photograph rock stars?
VICTORIA: Not at the moment. I've done some local band photos. My next book, that I'm halfway done with, is spiritual book with uplifting poems and photos. It's going to be called "Divinity On Earth". I have most of the photos for it already and I've written some poems and will also include some scripture.
MICK: Who is on your wish list to be photographed?
VICTORIA: I'd love to photograph Sting! I'd also love to photograph royalty. I've always admired royalty and their way of life. These people are not stressed about money. They used to be like tyrants for centuries but now I can see that they are more spiritual. I have several friends who have royal blood and I can see first hand how they live and what they feel. I am also descended from royalty! My great grand mother was Polish royalty. We are actually trying to find the rest of the family. She came here during their revolution by herself to Ellis Island and met my great grandfather. Shortly after, that got married! She was the matriarch of our family and died when I was very young. Her name was Anna Olactz.
MICK: What else inspires you?
VICTORIA: Talented people. People who have gone through a lot in their life and overcome it. People who use whatever talent they have and make the most out of it. People who help other people. I love Mother Theresa and I actually have rosary beads that were blessed by her. She inspires me with my healing work. I want to open a spiritual center here.
MICK: What's involved with the spiritual healing?
VICTORIA: It's spiritual energy healing. Energy travels through me. I've known since I was young that I was suppose to do this. About ten years ago it hit me and I began to start healing people. All types of healing, physical and spiritual. I take the negative energy out and replace it with healing energy and then let the body do the rest. I love helping people.
MICK: You've photographed hundreds of rock stars. Have any of them ever given you a hard time?
VICTORIA: No, they were basically all nice. I've had trouble with audience members but never the bands or entertainers. Once at a Black Crows concert, I was actually hit in the face by this drunk guy. The place was packed and I was taking some shots. I wasn't there long at all and this guy kept pushing me and then hit me. That's the only trouble I ever had.
MICK: You moved from Rhode Island to Florida. Why did you move?
VICTORIA: I was sick of the cold. I always knew that at some point in my life I would end up in Florida. I love it here and I loved it in Providence too. If I could transplant Providence down here, it would be ideal! Providence is a very artistic, cultural city.
MICK: I know you work with a great new musician named Pete Munroe and he has a new CD out. How are things going with that?
VICTORIA: Yes, the CD is out but we are going to add to it. I put it up on a place called RadioReddit.com. It's a radio station online and they also have a record company. I'm actually thinking about having a radio show on there. I would interview local musicians and bands and that would help them get recognition. I'd also take photographs of them too.
MICK: Do you have anything you would like to tell your fans and your future fans?
VICTORIA: I'd like everybody to buy my book! That's how I support my family and how the spiritual center will come to be. If anyone would like to be involved with that, I would definitely love that. I have my hand in a lot of things because we are only here for a short time. I want to have fun and help people. I can see that spiritual center in my head every day. My uncle, who is actually a well known architect, is going to help me with the blue prints. It is really going to happen. I thank God every day, even when things don't always go as planned. I'm very thankful for all that has happened and will be happening!
Victoria can be reached at:
http://www.myspace.com/rockstarsofthe80s...
http://www.myspace.com/healermom1
Her book "Rock Stars of the 80's and 90's" can be bought on Amazon.com
Autographed copies are also available upon request
It's been said that dreams are the seedlings to reality. Victoria Jennings Mitchell has followed her dreams and they are as real as the sky is blue. She is a mother, photographer, writer, musical agent, spiritual healer and all around great person!
Her first book "Rock Stars of the 80's and 90's" has just been published and it is getting rave reviews from all over the world. Her brilliant photographs capture the essence of the great rock stars whom she has crossed paths with. I had the great pleasure to speak with Victoria late one evening as her day was finally winding down...
MICK: Your new book is fantastic. When did you decide to write this book? It's your first book too, right?
VICTORIA: Yes, it's my first book. I decided to do this book about 20 years ago when I took all of those photographs. I knew someday I would write this book.
MICK: I saw in your book that it all began for you when you photographed rock star Jon Butcher.
VICTORIA: I had seen Jon play many times. When I started photography school, the first thing I wanted to do was take his pictures. I contacted him and he readily agreed to let me pictures. I took photos of him several times when he did shows up in Providence, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. After that, I photographed Stevie Ray Vaughn.
MICK: That's what I wanted to ask you about next. You got some great shots with him. What was he like?
VICTORIA: Stevie was awesome. I miss him. I cried for a week when he died. I had talked to his publicist, Charles Comer, many times and he was such a nice man. He arranger for me to shoot Stevie in Gardner, Massachusetts at an outdoor venue there. I was able to spend about an hour with Stevie. He told everything that was going on. I really commend him. He was truly on a good road and he was so talented, a really nice guy. Right before he died, I was suppose to photograph him the following week. Also, something very strange happened at the show where I photographed him. It was an outdoor venue and backstage, one of the supporting metal beams crashed down and snapped the neck right off of his guitar. It was the famous guitar that he used all the time. I was back there taking pictures and I saw this happen. I wondered if this was some type of weird omen or something. He got it fixed before the following show. But that was really strange. A year later, he died.
MICK: In your book, there's also a picture of you with Merv Griffin.
VICTORIA: Yes, he owned the radio station that I worked at in Providence. He was cool. A very smart man for sure. He had just bought the radio station and I approached him with my portfolio and told him I'd love to be the station's photographer. He was so impressed that the program director hired me right on the spot. I stayed with them for almost four years. Had a lot of fun and worked very hard too!
MICK: One thing that stands out in front of your book, in the dedication, you state that a portion of the proceeds was going to go to the victims and the families of the tragic fire that killed 100 people at The Station Night Club, in Providence. Did you know people who were there that night?
VICTORIA: Yes, one of my friends from the radio station, Dr. Metal, died in the fire. It was terrible. I found, within the last year, that the victims and their families ended up getting millions of dollars. They filed a law suit and they won. There was also a lot of benefits. I was unable to come up to help out because of family obligations down here.
MICK: I know you are also writing a children's book.
VICTORIA: That's right. It's being published right now. The publisher brought it to the Beijing Book Expo and it was purchased, along with other children's books from Eloquent Books in NY, to sell the books in Chinese. I still retain the rights to my book here but that's just for the rights in China. I heard that it sold and they are making us wait so I'm very excited. We should know very soon!
MICK: For the children's book, are you using photographs or illustrations?
VICTORIA: I'm using illustrations. I have several illustrators. I used my daughter Ariel as the model for my old friends book when she was 5 years old. I'm having another illustrator do my next book and my mom, who is also an artist, will do my third book.
MICK: I've read that you home school your children?
VICTORIA: Yes I do! Actually, we are unschoolers. Home schooling is when you sit down and do school at home. We don't do that. We don't use a set curriculum, we use everything for their learning...classes, CD Roms, computers, life in general. It's geared towards what they want to learn and are interested in. It's continuing learning; learning from the inside out, not the outside in.
MICK: So that is recognized by the state?
VICTORIA: It sure is. There are unschoolers all over the world. I wanted to do this even before I had children. It is basically non-forced learning.
MICK: Do you still photograph rock stars?
VICTORIA: Not at the moment. I've done some local band photos. My next book, that I'm halfway done with, is spiritual book with uplifting poems and photos. It's going to be called "Divinity On Earth". I have most of the photos for it already and I've written some poems and will also include some scripture.
MICK: Who is on your wish list to be photographed?
VICTORIA: I'd love to photograph Sting! I'd also love to photograph royalty. I've always admired royalty and their way of life. These people are not stressed about money. They used to be like tyrants for centuries but now I can see that they are more spiritual. I have several friends who have royal blood and I can see first hand how they live and what they feel. I am also descended from royalty! My great grand mother was Polish royalty. We are actually trying to find the rest of the family. She came here during their revolution by herself to Ellis Island and met my great grandfather. Shortly after, that got married! She was the matriarch of our family and died when I was very young. Her name was Anna Olactz.
MICK: What else inspires you?
VICTORIA: Talented people. People who have gone through a lot in their life and overcome it. People who use whatever talent they have and make the most out of it. People who help other people. I love Mother Theresa and I actually have rosary beads that were blessed by her. She inspires me with my healing work. I want to open a spiritual center here.
MICK: What's involved with the spiritual healing?
VICTORIA: It's spiritual energy healing. Healing energy travels through me. I've known since I was young that I was suppose to do this. About ten years ago it hit me and I began to start healing people. All types of healing, physical and spiritual. I take the negative energy out and replace it with healing energy and then let the body do the rest. I love helping people.
MICK: You've photographed hundreds of rock stars. Have any of them ever given you a hard time?
VICTORIA: No, they were basically all nice. I've had trouble with audience members but never the bands or entertainers. Once at a Black Crows concert, I was actually hit in the face by this drunk guy. The place was packed and I was taking some shots. I wasn't there long at all and this guy kept pushing me and then hit me. That's the only trouble I ever had.
MICK: You moved from Rhode Island to Florida. Why did you move?
VICTORIA: I was sick of the cold. I always knew that at some point in my life I would end up in Florida. I love it here and I loved it in Providence too. If I could transplant Providence down here, it would be ideal! Providence is a very artistic, cultural city.
MICK: I know you work with a great new musician named Pete Munroe and he has a new CD out. How are things going with that?
VICTORIA: Yes, the CD is out but we are going to add to it. I put it up on a place called RadioReddit.com. It's a radio station online and they also have a record company. I'm actually thinking about having a radio show on there. I would interview local musicians and bands and that would help them get recognition. I'd also take photographs of them too.
MICK: Do you have anything you would like to tell your fans and your future fans?
VICTORIA: I'd like everybody to buy my book! That's how I support my family and how the spiritual center will come to be. If anyone would like to be involved with that, I would definitely love that. I have my hand in a lot of things because we are only here for a short time. I want to have fun and help people. I can see that spiritual center in my head every day. My uncle, who is actually a well known architect, is going to help me with the blue prints. It is really going to happen. I thank God every day, even when things don't always go as planned. I'm very thankful for all that has happened and will be happening!
Victoria can be reached at:
http://www.myspace.com/rockstarsofthe80s...
www.facebook.com/victoriajenningsmitchell
Her book "Rock Stars of the 80's and 90's" can be bought on Amazon.com
Autographed copies are also available upon request
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